Bread

I made some bread today

Rule no. 1 use a decent set of scales
This is mine

bought from BakeryBits in April 2013, the batteries ran out just after taking the photo so that's 883 days from 3 AAs

Rule no. 2 use a decent recipe
I started with something from a book and mucked about with it until it became this:

Part 1
4 teaspoon dried yeast
800ml water
825g strong white flour 
Add yeast to water, wait 10 minutes, stir to break up the blobs, add the flour and stir in*, cover with a plate.

* or don't bother, the water gets absorbed into the flour anyway and it saves washing up a mucky spoon.

Part 2 - 12 hours later
It'll look like this and be smelly

100g stoneground wholemeal flour

275g stoneground rye flour

4 teaspoon salt

Mix flours and salt

Set dough hook to stir

Add flour gradually, when incorporated, increase speed and knead for 10-15 minutes

Remove hook and cover with a plate

Depending on the temperature it'll take 40-60 minutes to double its volume

Knock back

Load into buttered brick and tins. It's very wet (67% hydration) and I use a pair of plastic dough scrapers

Scatter poppy seeds and pat down 

Cover brick with metal foil, tins with greaseproof paper circles
When the dough is 12.7mm below top of brick, place it into a cold oven
Bake
    10 minutes at Mk7
Load tins
   5 minutes at Mk7
  15 minutes at Mk6
Remove lids and turn the brick/tins 180°, sometimes the greaseproof ends up in the flames which adds to the fun
  25 minutes at Mk6

Rule no. 3 use a decent mixer

The brick is by Mason Cash and took a bit of getting used to. It needs seasoning by

• washing in warm soapy water
• rinsing
• immersing in cold water for ½ hour
• emptying and drying for a couple of hours
• coating inside with a light veggie oil
• baking from cold up to 250°C for an hour
• take out and cool

I find it best to wipe butter on the inside before loading then there is no sticking, after baking wipe out with paper towel and don't wash. I also bake it from cold with a foil hat so that the brick and dough both warm up gradually otherwise the top cooks way before the rest. I don't use it much and have reverted to tins.